Emami set to enter kids’ personal care arena

KOLKATA: Emami is all set to make huge strides in the kids' personal care market, a rather virgin segment of the Indian FMCG market. The company plans to roll out products for kids upwards of five years of age, where major baby care brands like Johnson & Johnson and Wipro does not operate.

The Kolkata-based FMCG major soon plans to test market a kids' talcum powder under its flagship Boroplus range and based on the response has plans to expand into other categories like lotion and creams. "Consumers in the age group of 5-12 years have huge potential and no other FMCG company currently targets them. We are trying to create consumer demand for this segment," says Emami Ltd CEO (sales) Krishna Mohan.

Emami initially plans to roll out the product in Andhra Pradesh for the pilot phase, to be sold under the Boroplus Kids brand. The company plans to encash on the brand equity of Boroplus, which is a Rs 350-crore brand and operates in a diverse range like creams and talcum powder. Emami already operates in the infant care segment with a baby oil.

While currently most of the brands focus on the baby and infant care range like market leader Johnson & Johnson and Chicco, some new entrants are testing the waters in the kids segment. Piramal Healthcare has rolled out a kids perfume and Disney is eyeing this segment. The Umesh Modi Group last month brought the European skincare brand Galenco in India.

While most of these brands are targeted at the premium segment of the market, Emami wants to focus on the mass range. Analysts feel a foray into the mass segment will help Emami bag a bigger slice of the market, the way its other niche offerings like fairness cream for men, cooling oils and cool talcum powder has become successful. The Indian baby skincare market is projected to grow at 15.6 per cent during 2011-14.